Renters in the Nelson Tasman region are heading into 2026 with far more choice than a year ago, as new figures show the region recorded one of the largest increases in rental listings in the country.
Data from property website realestate.co.nz shows new rental listings in Nelson and Bays jumped 92.6 per cent in December 2025 compared with December 2024.
A total of 52 properties were listed during the month, up from just 27 a year earlier.
The surge was matched by a sharp lift in available rental stock across the region, which climbed 88.5 per cent year-on-year to 49 properties. Nelson and Bays was one of the strongest-performing regions nationally for new rental supply, second only to Wairarapa.
Stew Henry, property management general manager at Summit Real Estate, says they have seen a higher number of tenants purchasing homes this summer, and they need to re-list existing stock to secure new tenants.
“The properties new to the rental market are a mix of investors and people moving out of town who wish to retain their own home.”
He said they had a “bumper” letting month in December across the Top of the South with 52 new tenancies signed up by their company in Nelson and Marlborough.
Across New Zealand, realestate.co.nz shows new rental listings rose 19.8 per cent year-on-year in December to 5,349, up from 4,464 in December 2024. The national average asking price for rent fell 2.4 per cent year-on-year to $626 per week in December 2025, with 13 of New Zealand’s 19 regions recording price declines.
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says the lift in new rental listings gives renters more choice and potentially more negotiating power in the year ahead.
“A nearly 20 percent increase in new listings certainly provides more choice for renters, and in some regions, that choice has doubled. With stock building and competition among landlords rising, renters will continue to find themselves in a stronger position to negotiate on price or lease terms in 2026.”
She says the data shows the country is entering 2026 with a rental market that looks very different depending on where you live.
“The big question for 2026 is whether the rental supply nationally translates into lasting affordability or whether the regional rental divide grows.”
